War torn butchery turned to ash,Keepsakes of forgotten memories lost to the past,Beyond the twilight all hope fades,Never knowing how it could be,A populace once so vast, dwindled to so few."The Destruction of Tarazed", Konrad Telsar, survivor, CY 10051

The sky rained fire as debris from fallen starships crashed through the atmosphere; their ruins impacting on cities causing fires, massive explosions, and panic. Enemy soldiers were now mobilizing units on the surface, spreading through the crumbling dominions, killing and taking prisoners as they went.

Tarazed's Home Guard fought as hard as they could, but for all of their fighters, all of their soldiers, this was their first major battle in centuries. A few Kalderan ships every now and then were nothing compared to a full bombardment by the Drago-Kazov fleet.

Civilians flooded the streets as Nietzschean fighters fought with the Home Guard above their heads; debris falling and cascading to the ground.

Fleet Marshall Thor Nez Pierce watched the destruction from his ship. The location of the viable planet had only come a few months ago from an amateur pilot who had gotten lost in slip stream. How the boy had ended up at this planet was beyond him, but the information he gathered proved most interesting.

Old Commonwealth ships in functioning order. High Guard slip fighters, Heavy Cruisers, it was a most splendid discovery.

The pilot, Attalus Quechua, had saved himself and his family's reputation by turning a mistake in his navigating to high quality reconnaissance that led to this very moment.

Quechua had seen the Commonwealth ships and fighters before heading back to slip stream and recording the route. Once he was back with his unit, and the information verified, more surveillance was sent to the planet.

It was discovered that the planet was a peaceful democracy and the population consisted of Nietzschans, Thans, and Kludges all living together.

Thor sneered. The only thing thing that population was good for was slavery. And the Nietzscheans? What else could one expect of Majorum Pride? They were nearly as extinct as the Atreus and Kodiak and after this assault they really would be.

"I'm bored."

Thor looked to his right to see his latest wife, Kallianax, walking up to him. He smiled; blonde and beautiful, that was his wife. It was one of the main reasons he married her, even with her deficiencies he felt compelled to have her. She was feisty, fiery, passionate, and an amazing fighter. The only thing she wasn't was fertile.

The matriarch of the Drago-Kazov couldn't understand why he would want a wife who could never bear him children, as did his other five wives. It was a mystery to them. Kallianax herself was joyously surprised when he showed an interest in her.

She was beautiful, Thor had to have her, it was as simple as that. It was as well that his other wives stayed home and had his children for Kallianax was a warrior, she could accompany him on his missions and he would never have the need to share his bed with a lowly slave.

"So watch the festivities," he told her.

"That would make me even more bored," she drawled, "What's the fun of watching a civilization fall when I'm not down there to experience it?"

"If you get killed it's not my problem."

"Oh dear husband you me better than that."

Kallianax Nez Pierce out of Nikanax by Troilus walked through the half collapsed house as she went about her favourite past time of hunting for treasure. Said treasure usually being jewelry or weaponry. The house she had selected had been the biggest she could find, all white, and near the end of the now destroyed lane. When she walked through the front door, the entire left side of the house was collapsed leaving her with two options. Straight and right which took her to another blocked up section or up the stairs that she now went.

Stepping over fallen plaster debris and knocked out support beams she came to a clear spot. Had the room not been so damaged it may have been a lounge area, a door to the left was completely blocked off so she headed to the next set of stairs.

"Don't. Move."

Kallianax stopped as she heard a weapon being readied behind her.

"Turn around slowly."

Doing as she was told she finally turned around and found herself face-to-face with another Nietzschean female. Long dark curls framed her face and dark brown eyes glared, she was the complete opposite of Kallianax. The woman wore a black uniform and held a force lance straight at her chest.

"Get out before I kill you."

"Aww and here I was hoping we could be friends."

"What do you want?"

"A long prosperous life, death to my enemies, and to rule the galaxies, what else could a Nietzschean want?"

"Get out."

"Why don't you shoot me?"

"I said get out."

Kallianax took a step forward, the Tarazed female shot.

Nothing.

Her weapon was empty.

Kallianax kicked out and connected. Regaining her balance the Majorum extended her force lance and caught Kallianax around the face sending the Dragan into a lowered bookcase.

Shaking out of it, Kallianax flipped up-right and advanced on her adversary. She feinted high and then attacked low kicking out the Majorum's legs from beneath her. During the scuffle that followed, the force lance was lost across the room as the women went at it hand-to-hand.

The Majorum kicked Kallianax over her head and regained a standing position. Several trades of kicks and punches later there was sickening snap of crunching bone as Kallianax watched the Majorum fall dead to the floor from a broken neck.

"Bitch." Kallianax let out a happy sigh and picked up the discarded force lance. Looking it over she set in one of her holsters. She knew one of her brothers would enjoy taking it apart. A small stifling sound caught her attention before it turned into a loud wailing cry.

Kallianax looked towards the stairs and upon walking up them, she found herself in a child's room.

The crying was coming from the crib.

Going closer she peered over the edge and smiled.

"Aw you poor thing."

She reached in and picked up the baby, the child looked no more than five or six months old. "You just need to be held."

She cuddled him to her chest and slowly his loud cries turned into soft whimpers. Looking down into the crib a small pillow caught her eye. She picked it up and looked at the child's name embroidered upon it.

"Telemachus Rhade," she read. "Strong name..."

A/N: I thought that I should upload this as if I leave it on my hard drive I'll probably never get around to finishing it. This story has been in pre-development for months and I thought 'what the heck?' Let's give it a whirl.I came up with the title before I discovered that there was an Andromeda book by the same name. I wasn't happy with that. But for lack of a better title that fits this piece, I decided to leave it how it is.Reviews please!

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